Fredericton may bid adieu to French translation service

The cost of French translation in the capital of Canada’s only officially bilingual province is under scrutiny as councillors question the need for two translators who are paid to provide translation at each city council meeting even though they have only been called on once in eight years.

It costs Fredericton taxpayers $1,214.75 per meeting for two translators who sit through each meeting of Fredericton City Council in case someone wishes to address council in French, according to city staff.

“They have been there since 2003 and I only recall using the headset once. Once in eight years,” said Marilyn Kerton, a veteran city councillor.

“I think that’s a little bit ridiculous.”

New Brunswick’s Official Languages Act requires municipalities to provide services in both English and French and, since 2003, the city’s bylaws, agendas and minutes have been produced in both languages.

All of the translation costs the city $281,000 a year.

Every second Monday, starting at 7:30 p.m., city council meets. Sometimes the politicians whip through the agenda in half an hour. An hour or an hour and a half is more typical. But no matter how short it is, the bill to the city remains the same.

Ms. Kerton said any member of the public who wishes to speak at the meeting already must notify the city a week in advance and fill out a form. She is proposing that the form be modified to ask what language the person plans to speak and if they select French, then translators can be brought in.

“It’s not an attack on the French-language people in our city,” said Marilyn Kerton. “It is a cost-cutting idea and times are tough all over. This seems like an easy fix and is common sense.”

She has asked city staff to look into her idea.

Fellow councillor Tony Whalen supports re-evaluating the service.

“From my experience on council, that’s seven-plus years, I really haven’t seen the translation devices used very often, perhaps ever,” said Mr. Whalen.

“There has always been a cost to providing things in a bilingual format and as we see costs increase and revenues being an issue, everything is under the microscope.”

The idea of cutting back on the translators would send the wrong message, said Michael O’Brien.

“Personally, council meetings are open, public meetings and if we’re the only official bilingual province in the country and as the capital city of that province, I think we have an obligation to be a leader,” said Mr. O’Brien.

“That’s a battle that has been fought a long time ago.”

Ms. Kerton said she has received mostly positive feedback on her idea, although she was disappointed to receive emails from a few language extremists who took her idea to be a move to abolish French.

“It’s not that at all,” she said. She has also heard that more francophone residents will be requesting to speak to council to make better use of the translation service.

New Brunswick law “acknowledges the existence of two official linguistic communities within New Brunswick whose values and heritages emanate from and are expressed through the two official languages of New Brunswick,” and recognizes “the equality of these official linguistic communities.”

Francophones make up about 7% of the population in the region of Fredericton.

Accommodating minority language rights in Canada have led to other clashes of priorities as government budgets are stretched at all levels.

In July, citing the need to protect minority-language rights, Yukon Supreme Court Justice Vital Ouellette ordered the territory government to build a $15-million high school to house the board’s 41 French high school students.